Sakura Matsuri
by Anime-Jrockloverqueen12
Summary: It's been 3 years after A Single Flower, and Sakura has remained true to Naruto...butstill she finds feelings for Sasuke. Will this result in the end of Naruto and Sakura...or shall Sasuke gain his trophy? NarSaku
1. Chapter 1

"The stars are pretty, aren't they?" Sakura looked up at the night sky with warmth in her eyes.

Naruto nodded. Then he suddenly asked, "Have you ever wondered why people look at the sky?"

Sakura looked at him and shook her head, "What do you mean?"

Naruto looked at her, "Well, people always look up and say something about the stars or the moon…but why did they look up in the first place?"

Sakura was silent. She tried to remember why she looked up, but couldn't remember.

"I don't know, Naruto…" She turned back to the sky,

"What are we searching for?"

**Sakura Matsuri**

**Chapter one**

Naruto woke up to the light of the sun. He sat up in bed with a pounding headache.

"Had that nightmare again…" He whispered to himself. It's been haunting him for the past three years:

"_Sasuke!" Sakura cried, "It's not what you think! I love Naruto!"_

_Sasuke chuckled, "You don't even sound sure of yourself." _

_Sakura was silent. _

_The sounds of movement occurred. Sakura cried, "Sasuke, you shouldn't exert your-!" It became suddenly silent. It was clear a kiss took place._

"_Who do you love?" Sasuke asked._

_Sakura hesitated, "I love…Naruto…"_

"_Do you?"_

_Silence. _

"_Sakura…Sakura…Sakura…" Sasuke said with false disappointment, "I think you'll always remain a single flower."_

"I remember that day like yesterday…" Naruto said with a cringe. He was outside the door that day in the hospital. He heard everything.

"I hope she isn't confused anymore…" he said quietly, "Even if she doesn't love me…I don't want to be left in the dark…"

…………………………………………………….

"Naruto!" Sakura knocked on the door. She tapped her foot impatiently. 'What is taking him so long?' she wondered to herself.

Finally, he opened the door. He was dressed in his usual black and orange outfit. Sakura saw his solemn eyes and began to worry.

"Naruto! Are you okay?!" She cupped his chin in her warm hands. Naruto nodded, slowly regaining his boyish look.

"Good! I wouldn't be able to smile knowing you were unhappy." She said, grinning broadly. Naruto instantly threw away his insecurities and followed her outside.

"What do you want to do today, Sakura-chan?" Naruto had his hands behind his head. He glanced at Sakura, expecting an answer.

"I don't know…I haven't heard news of any missions…so I guess we have the day off."

"Nothin on Sasuke?"

Sakura became slightly upset, "No! Nobody has heard from him, and I don't want to!"

Naruto could tell more than just Sasuke's leaving with Orochimaru was hurting her. Something deeper than that was effecting her, and he didn't want to know what it was.

"Hey! Lets go outside Konoha!" Naruto suggested, trying to lighten the mood. He became really excited with the idea.

Sakura forgot her anger and laughed at his hyper attitude, "Okay, but not too far. I don't want to be missing when they need me."

Naruto nodded, "Understood. So let's go now, so we have a lot of time!"

Sakura was dragged through the Konoha gates. Naruto seemed to know where he was going, for he turned expertly at every turn.

'This path seems familiar…" Sakura thought to herself.

Finally, Naruto stopped at a village. Sakura's eyes widened with recognition.

"This is…this is the village where I first confessed my love for you…" Sakura said in wonder. She was amazed Naruto remembered where it was.

"Let's go! The festival is happening again today!" He said, once again pulling her along. All Sakura could do was laugh.

………………………………………………….

"That was great!" Naruto exclaimed, eating some takoyaki. It was dark out now. They spent the whole day at the festival.

Sakura spotted some sauce on Naruto's face, "You're so messy!" She chastised.

"What do you mean?" Naruto said with his mouth full.

"Here, let me get it." She said with a smirk. She made him turn around, then she stood on her toes and licked it off.

"Mm…not bad." She said, smiling.

Naruto blushed, finally swallowing his food.

"Come on! Let's go to the clearing!" Sakura said, now taking Naruto's role. She led him to a circular clearing. Underneath the night sky, it looked like something from a fairy-tale.

The two of them walked into it and laid on the soft grass.

"The stars are pretty, aren't they?" Sakura looked up at the night sky with warmth in her eyes.

Naruto nodded. Then suddenly, he asked, "Have you ever wondered why people look at the sky?"

Sakura looked at him and shook her head, "What do you mean?"

Naruto looked at her, "Well, people always look up and say something about the stars or the moon…but why did they look up in the first place?"

Sakura was silent. She tried to remember why she looked up, but couldn't remember.

"I don't know, Naruto…" She turned back to the sky,

"What are we searching for?"

* * *

"You'd think three years would dispose of the anger…" He sat in the tree, watching Sakura and Naruto in the clearing.

"She's so poor at convincing herself of who she loves…." H muttered this to himself.

Soon, he found himself looking up at the sky. "You want to know why we look up at the sky, Naruto?" he said, in quiet response to the question, "It's because we need answers. Everyone is always saying there's some god or something up their that is benevolent…so we look up, hoping that he'll plot our next move." He chuckled, "But every time something goes wrong, we wonder 'what the hell is he doing?' Because only good things are supposed to happen to us, apparently."

He hopped down from the tree and took a final look in the direction of the ninjas, "I will tell you one thing, Naruto." He said, still to himself, "She'll begin to wane, and inevitably wilt under your hot sun. And that's when I'll come, the mighty rain, and revive the fallen flower."

He laughed again, "I'm an Uchiha…and Uchiha's always win."

**And thus, the beginning of a tale of deception, confusion, love, betrayal, and um….and something else. I dunno. Okay, tell me what you think about the 3****rd**** person Omniscient POV. Also, yes, that was Sasuke in the tree. Ana another thing, it's short because I typed it the same time I was typing the final chapter for A Single Flower. I was going to continue the story in that, but I felt I was too far behind with the Anime. I mean, they're up to Shippuden, and I wanted to get into that, ya know? So…I did.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

_He's been really quiet these last few days…_ Sakura thought to herself. _I hope this isn't permanent…I miss the old Naruto._

She and Naruto walk towards the village in silence. It was driving Sakura crazy.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?" His lack of emotion was truly heartbreaking.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to get something to eat?"

He shrugged, "Sure."

Sakura sighed, "Does ramen sound good?"

Naruto shrugged again.

Now Sakura was really worried. Naruto never just shrugged to ramen.

_I hope this is just a phase…_

…………………………………………………………………

"So, you have everything ready?" Shikamaru spoke in rushed whispers to the lady across from him.

"Yes. Just a few touch-ups and it's fine. Just don't make me wait all day." She spoke the same way as he did, quickly and quietly.

As soon as she left, Shikamaru turned to see Sakura.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" The pink haired girl said, excited, "That was Temari, right? She has everything ready?"

Shikamaru nodded, "And even if it isn't yet, she would never admit it."

They both laughed. Suddenly a loud voice cut in, "What are you guys talking about?!?!"

It was Naruto, upset that he was left out. Shikamaru hadn't even noticed he was there. It wasn't like him to be so quiet.

"It's nothing Naruto. Let's go get that ramen, okay?" Sakura said.

Naruto looked from Shikamaru to Sakura. "Fine."

Shikamaru watched them walk off to Ichiraku ramen, "Just a few years ago, I thought Sakura would be with Sasuke for sure." He smiled as he saw Sakura punch Naruto out…the reasons unknown, "Now, I can't see her with anyone else."

…………………………………………………………….

"What will you be having young lady?" Teuchi, the old owner of the Ramen shop asked sweetly.

"I'll have a regular Shoyuu Ramen with Chaushuu please (Soy Sauce Ramen with sliced pork)"

"Nice choice. And for my favorite customer, the extra large Miso Ramen, right?"

Sakura began to answer for him, "That's ri-!"

Naruto cut in "I'll have a small, actually…"

The world seemed to go still as his words sunk in, "A…a small?" Teuchi asked, confused. Ayame walked out, due to the stark silence, "Either Konoha is in danger or something really odd just happened…."

Sakura looked at Naruto with sadness…which quickly turned to anger, "THAT'S IT!!!"

She stood up and grabbed Naruto's hand, pulling him off of the stool.

"Hey, Sakura what are doing?!?!?"

"You're GOING to smile today! That's a promise!" She dragged him roughly behind her.

"Wait, you have the wrong person!"

She turned to see she was dragging a woman instead of Naruto.

"STOP WITH THE JUTSU!" Sakura pounded him over the head, "You're coming with me!"

"Dammit!" Naruto sighed, rubbing the large lump on his head.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Okay, is everything set?" Temari yelled to her brothers.

"All good." Kankuro said with a thumbs up.

"Sure." Garaa said, looking at something else.

"Great. Are the ninjas here?" Temari did a head count, "Yes…it seems like it. Okay, they'll be here soon. Get ready!"

……………………………………………………………………………

"Where are you taking me?!?!?" Naruto was still struggling to get free of Sakura's mighty grip.

"Just shut up!" Sakura commanded, for the thirteenth time. _Sometimes he can be really annoying…_

Finally, Sakura saw the sand village gates ahead, "Here we are!" She let go of the blonde hair.

"Finally!" Naruto stood up, "What are we doing here?"

"You'll see…" Sakura opened the gates slowly….

"**O-tanjoubi Omedetou!" **(Happy Birthday!)

"W-what? My birthday passed already…" Naruto said confused, but still happy.

Sakura smiled, "I know, but we didn't get to celebrate with you. So it's better late than never!"

For the first time that day, Naruto smiled. A real one that made Sakura's heart do a flip.

"Happy Birthday Naruto." She said softly and kissed his lips. The rest of the ninjas applauded.

"What are we just standing around here for?" Naruto said, with his old energy reformed, "Let's party!"

Laughter and music was heard throughout the sand village as Naruto experienced his first birthday party.

……………………………………………………………………………………

"Kakashi! The Hokage requires our help!" A frightened Konoha ninja approached the jounin, who was in the sand village as well.

"What's going on?" Kakashi dropped the cake he was eating.

"Konoha is under attack…..by a giant snake!"

Kakashi's eyes widened, "Oh no…"

He looked at the party goers before him. He couldn't without a heavy heart, tell them that trouble was going on in Konoha, "Let's go."

"Shouldn't we tell the others?"

"I think we can handle a snake, can't we? We have before."

Nodding, the Konoha ninja followed Kakashi Hatake out of the sand village.

**Okay…..chapter done….and it might not be who you think that's attacking the village 0.o unless what I just said gave it away…man, I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.**


End file.
